Tampon applicator grip forming apparatus



June 17, 1952 H. A. COLLINS ET AL TAMPON APPLICATOR GRIP FORMINGAPPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 1. 1948 ward M Ruiz,

H. A. COLLINS ETAL TAMPON APPLICATOR GRIP FORMING APPARATUS June 17,1952 Filed July 1, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 17, 1952 H. A. COLLINSETAL TAMPON APPLICATOR GRIP FORMING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 FiledJuly 1, 1948 H. A. COLLINS ET AL TAMPON APPLICATOR GRIP FORMINGAPPARATUS June 17, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 1, 1948 l j v m .w m

June 1952 H. A. COLLINS ET AL 2,600,971

TAMPON APPLICATOR GRIP FORMING APPARATUS Filed July 1, 1948 5Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented June 17, 1952 F F ICE TAMPON APPLICATORv GRIPFORMING APPARATUS HowardA';Collins,i.Neenah, and Howard M. Ruth;

Appleton,v Wis .a-ssignors to lucotton. Products International Cel-Company, Chicago; 111., a corporation. of Delaware Application July 1,1948; Serial No. 36,528 'Cla-ims.. (Cl. 16490) This invention relates toan improvement -in mechanism or apparatus for forming'a grip on a-tamponapplicator tube tofacilitate holding of the tube during'application ofthe tampon.

The improved apparatus is- -especially desirable althoughnot-exclusively so,-in connection with double tube tampon applicatorswherein a tampon is-seated in one end portion of' an applicator tube andan ejector tube is-seated. inigthe otherend portionandof'such lengththat it projects beyond the adjacent end of' the applicator tube. Suchtampon-applicator is usually manipulated-by gripping an end-portion ofthe applicator or outer tube between two-fingers and pressing theejector "tube inwardly Withanother finger of thesame hand. Thisoperationisgreatly facilitated' if provision is-made to' preventslipping; of the outer tubefrom between the fingers-and itis 'for theproduction of such a gripping surface that" the -present apparatus isdesigned.

The'main objectsof the invention are to provideapparatus of an automaticcharacter, which will successively separate appli'catortubes from abatch thereof; apply the desired gripping surface to the tubes one byone and automatically discharge the tubes with their gripping areasto-whatever type of receiver is preferred.-

Another object is to provide grip forming means which will operateautomatically at very high speed and whichwill produce thedesiredgripping area without removing material from the applicator tube,thereby to avoid the necessity for handling removed material while alsopreserving a high degree of cleanliness in the premises in which theapparatus is employed.

Aiurther object of the invention is to simultaneously with theproductionof the above described finger gripping area, to provide means wherebythe outer tube will lefiectively' frictionally grip the inner orejectortube so as to becapableof preserving therequired assembledrelationship between the outer and inner tubes. It is also an object ofthe invention-to provide: apparatus for performing theoperationsindi'cated, which apparatus-is of a simple and'easyto build,maintain and operate character, and other objects and advantages oi 'theinvention will be understood by referring to the followingspecificw tionand: accompanyingdrawings (5 sheets) in Which thereis illustrated a:machine embodying a-selected form of the invention:

In-- the drawings,

Fig: l is a sideelevation of-"tlie selected. machine;

2 Fig. 2 is a plan; Figs. 3 and 4. are perspr-zctiv'e's respectively ofcertain elements of themechanism;

Fig. 5 is a section on the plane represented approximately by the line 55 of-Figl 1;

Fig. 6 is a sectioncorresponding'toa portion of Fig. 5 b'ut showing achangedposition;

Fig. 7 is a. section: on the planerepresented approximately 1 bytheline-1 of Fig. 2

Fig. 8 is an en'delevation of a-detail;

Fig. 9 is apersp'ective of another detail;

Fig. 10 is a: cross sectionon' thevplane repre sented by the line P49011 Figsl and2 j Fig. 11 is a cross section on a plane represented bythe lincl I-I| of Fig. 1;

Fig. 12-is acrosssection onthe-plan'erepresented by. the line I2-'-l2:ofFig. 7 i

Fig. 13is a cross section on theplane representedby the line -I3 l3 ofFigs; 2 and 5;

Fig. 14- *is aperspective illustratinga tampon applicator tub-e having:a grip formedthereon by the apparatuszshown in theother figuresr Themechanism. herein shown operates on paper board. tubes: 2 (see Fig; 14)which -are to be prepared. foriuse as parts of tampon applicaters; Thetubes are of substantially cylindrical form and of substantiallyunifornrpre cut length; The apparatus functions to produce: on :an .endportion 2' ofeachztub'e, vaseri'es of outwardly projecting;sharpj-pointedor; sham-edged nodes. or. spurs 3 which aiford :lanon-slipping; finger i grip on the tube." In'addition'a number ofinwardly projected nodes "or: spurs may also" be formed asrepresented-=at:4 inIFig. 14:- The inwardly-prm je'cting; parts. t" are!desirable. for? providing a friction grip: onf an'other tube-which isslidable within the tube 2 'ior ejectingla tampon or other member-"fromsaidfitubeis The apparatuscomprises a base: e of suitable construction,said base being so formedas to provide spaced bearingzbossesefieiandflieither in integral parts: of the base a or in brackets'secured to: thebase. In-"this instance, the bearing: parts 'i are shown formed inacbracketwhichtis bolted to. the base and xthei'bearin'g; Gris anupstanding portionzintegral with. the base 5.:

The bearing .bosses 6 andi'l' rotatably support a shaft 8: which. iscontinuously driven. byv a chain" drive. 9 or in any 'oth'er: suitablemanner. Between the bearings iil'and 1; the shaft '8 has mounted on it acam disc Ill-l having onit a laterally 'projectedcface: cam .1 portion 1I I which extends: aroundna little more than one+quarter ofrthecircumferenceof the disc;.asrs1i'0wn in Fig. 1. This cam H actuates;mechanism for controlling the feed of the tubes 2 from the hopper andfor positioning the tubes for the operation of instrumentalities whichproduce the spurs or nodes 3 and 4.

The tube feeding and positioning elements are carried by a slide block[2 which is horizontally reciprocably slidably mounted on a pair ofguide rods I3, 13, the latter being supported at their ends inupstanding frame portions provided for that purpose as best shown inFigs. 2 and 5. The block I2 is reciprocated on said guide rods l3 bymeans of a lever H which is pivoted intermediate its ends as indicatedat I5, on an ear or a bracket I6 which extends from a part of the base5. One end of said lever I4 is provided with an upwardly projectingroller l1 which fits in a slot l8 provided on the under side of theslide block [2. Said slot I8 extends crosswise of the direction ofmovement of the slide block l2 so as to permit relative shifting of theroller [1 transversely of the direction of movement of the slide asrequired by the arcuate path of travel of the roller |1 about the axisof the pivot IS.

A spring l9 stretched between a portion of the lever |4 and an anchor onthe frame or base serves to normally urge the lever to rock in onedirection. The other end of the lever H is equipped with a roller whichengages the cam H so that said cam is operative to periodically rock thelever against the tension of the spring |9 to thereby retract the slideblock l2 from the position in which it is normally held by said springIS.

The slide block |2 has mounted on it an upstanding block 2| whichcarries a knife-like plate member 22. Said plate member 22 is secured tosaid block 2| through the agency of an arm 23 of a U-shaped mountingmember 24 (see Figs. 2, 3 and 5) which straddles a chute or guide-way 25in which the tubes 2 move downwardly from a hopper 25a which may containa batch of tubes or receive them one by one from tube forming ortreating apparatus. The arm 23 of the said U-shaped member is bolted asshown in Fig. 5 to the mounting block 2| and said separator plate 22 isscrewed or otherwise secured to the upper edge of said arm 23. The otherside arm 26 of said U-shaped member carries a second knife-likeseparator plate 21 which is secured to the bottom edge of said arm 26 byscrews or otherwise.

The chute or guide-way 25 is of generally rectangular form in crosssection as will be seen from an inspection being of an internal sizewhich substantially corresponds to the length and diameter of the tubes2. Preferably the size of the chute is such that the tubes will fallfreely by gravity through said chute.

In the normal position of the slide block |2, the separator 22 is heldin its inwardly disposed position as shown in Fig. 5 wherein it supportsthe overlying stack of tubes 2. When the plate 22 is in its in positionas shown in Fig. 5, the second separator plate 21 is in its out positionas also shown in Fig. 5. The broad face walls of the chute 25 aresuitably apertured or slotted as indicated, to permit the passage of theplates 22 and 21 transversely through the chute as indicated, saidplates being of somewhat less width than the horizontal length of thechute.

When the cam l rocks the lever M to retract the slide block l2, theupper separator 22 will, of course, be withdrawn from the chute and theof Figs. 2 and 5, the chute .4 lower plate 21 will be moved into thechute so as to catch the stack of tubes 2 as they drop past thewithdrawing plate 22. It will be apparent from an inspection of Fig. 5that the tubes cannot drop past the plate 22 until said plate is almostcompletely withdrawn from the chute and that at that time, the lowerplate 21 will extend across almost the entire width of the chute so asto again trap the tubes. When the cam permits the spring l9 to returnthe slide to its normal position as shown in full lines in Fig. 5, theplate 22 will enter between the tube supported on the plate 21 and thenext overlying tube so that all of the tubes in the chute except thelowermost tube are again supported by the plate. The lowermost tubewill, of course, be permitted to drop further down in the chute when thelower plate 21 is again completely withdrawn from the chute.

In addition to the separator plates 22 and 21, the slide l2 carries atube positioning and clamping device 28. Said positioning and clampingdevice comprises a stem or shank part 29, an intermediate widened part30, and a head part 3|. The shank part 29 fits in a slot or recess 32 inthe top of the slide I2 and it is provided with a slot 33 through whicha clamping bolt 34 passes into threaded engagement with the un derlyingportion of the slide. The shank part 29 is sufficiently elongated topermit the member 28 to be adjusted relative to the slide as permittedby the slot 33, the bolt 34 being adapted to clamp the member 28 in anyselected position of adjustment.

The intermediate portion of the member 28 is widened as best indicatedin Fig. 2 to a width approaching the width of the separator plates 22and 21 so that said intermediate portion 30 is also capable ofsupporting a tube in said chute as represented at 20. in Fig. 5.

The head 3| of said member 28 has its front end provided with a V-shapedarched seat 35 for cooperating with an opposed V-shaped or arched seat36 to grip a tube 22) in a predetermined position in which the spurs ornodes 3 and 4 are formed in the tube. Said head 3| is also provided witha lower shelf-like extension 31 which is operative to receive the tube2a when the member 28 is retracted with the slide |2 to the positionillustrated in Fig. 6. As there shown, the tube 2a will have droppedfrom the top face of the intermediate part 33 of the member 28 to saidshelf 31 so as to be ready for lateral advancement into engagement withthe seat 36.

The seat 36 against which the tube is held by the head 3| is formed in ablock 38 which is bolted to the base structure by a pair of bolts 39(Figs. 1 and 5). Said block is also provided with a slot or recess 40which receives the shelf or tongue part 31 of the movable head when thelatter is in its most advanced position as illustrated in Fig. 5. Asuitable cover 4| is mounted on a portion of the block 38 and serves toenclose the zone of operation of the arm 26 and separator plate 21.

2b from following the presser head 3| back to tube receiving position, apair of pawls or detents 42 (see Figs. 4 and 5) are pivoted for movementin recesses cut in the supporting part of the block 38. Said recessestraverse the vertical face of the upper part of the block and alsoextend as shown at 43, horizontally in the under face of the block toreceive the pawl in approximately horizontal position as shown in Fig.5. The pawls are, of course,

To prevent the tube sliding movement'imparted to the plate 55. The camhump 52a is relatively narrow in the direction of its travel so that therod 63 and expander or guide 14 is held in the expanding position shownin Fig. '7 only momentarily and is almost immediately retracted bycontraction of the rubber sleeves 66 and 61. Whatever slightreciprocating movement may be imparted to the slide 45 and to thepricking bars 62 by the continuous movement of the crank pin isinsignificant in respect of any bearing on the pricking action of theprick point 69. In any event, the tubing 2 being of relatively soft andeasily deformable material may yield slightly if necessary to permit anyslight endwise movement of the rod 63 and pricking bars 62. The conicalshape of the pricking points 69 serves also to permit slight lateralmovement of the points during inward movement or retraction thereofwithout significantly distorting the material of the tubes 2.

A spring 85 disposed around the rod 63 and under compression between theear 16 and a collar 86 secured to said rod serves to restore the rod andits expander head 13 to its normal position relative to the prickingbars 62 as soon as permitted to do so by the movement of the cam hump 52past the roller 80. Engagement of the clevis 1'1 with the ear 16determines the limit of movement of the rod 63 under the expansive forceof the spring 85.

In the apparatus herein shown there are provided sixteen pricking bars62 so that a corre sponding number of rows of outwardly projecting spurs3 are formed, most of the bars 62 being provided with three prick pointsin a row. This number of pricking bars and pricking points may, ofcourse, be varied as desired to provide a greater or smaller number ofnodes or spurs 3 on the end portion of the tube 2.

In the mechanism shown, provision is made for also producing theinwardly projecting nodes or spurs 4 and in this instance three suchinward projections are formed, each replacing one of the outwardlyprojecting spurs 3 so that in the finished product the spurs appear inneatly arranged rows spaced uniformly around the circumference of thetube. While it is not necessary that the inward projections be locatedin the normal position of an outward projection, this is desirable forappearance purposes.

For producing the inwardly projecting spurs, there are provided in thisinstance three arms each pivotally mounted intermediate its ends asindicated at '88 in the slide carried member 69 (see Figs. 2 and '7).arms are each provided with a pricking punch 89 which may be adjustablymounted in the end portion of the arm and located in selected positionof adjustment by suitable set screws 99. The opposite end of each arm 87is provided with a roller 9| (see Figs. 1 and 2) which bears on a camsleeve 92 carried by the rod 63. Said cam sleeve has an intermediateconical portion 93 whereby, when the rod 63 and cam sleeve 92 are movedendwise by the cam 52, the conical cam sleeve portion will efiectspreading of the roller carrying ends of the arms 81 to thereby move theprick carrying ends into tube pricking position as shown in Fig. 7.Springs such as shown at 54, are stretched between the adjacent arms 3'!in such a manner as to resiliently hold the roller carrying ends thereofin operative engagement with the surface of the sleeve cam 92. Hence,when the rod 63 and sleeve cam are retracted by the spring -85, theexternal pricking arms 81 The front ends of said i will also be restoredto their open position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

It will, of course, be observed that the external pricking arms 81 movein unison with the internal pricking arms 62 so that all of said armsare simultaneously brought into operative relation to the tube 2 whichis held in operative position as already explained. Similarly thetransverse movement of the pricking ends of said arms 62 and 81 issimultaneously effected incident to longitudinal movement of the rod 63as effected by the cam 52. While the internal pricking arms '62 areforming the external spurs, the outerarms 81 are also forming theinternal spurs in positions which would otherwise normally be occupiedby one of the external spurs.

When the pricking arms and the expander head 13 are moved endwise intooperative relation to the tube '2, said tube is held againstcorresponding endwise movement by engagement with a wall or stop 95which may conveniently be in the form of a transparent plate elementsuitably supported from the base 5 of the machine as shown in Fig. l.

The mechanism is wholly automatic in its operation, requiring noattention from an operator except to see to it that the hopper a iscontinuously supplied with tubes to be treated. The operation is quietand it displaces but does not remove any tube material so that there isno problem of waste handling and disposal.

Various changes in the described structure may be made without departingfrom the invention.

We claim:

1. In apparatus of the class described, means for holding a tube inpredetermined position, a reciprocating carrier, a rod mounted on saidcarrier for reciprocating movement therewith and so as to belongitudinally movable independently thereof and in the direction of itsreciprocating movement, a plurality of punch bars extending lengthwiseof said rod and substantially radially therefrom, resilient meansnormally holding said punch bars in contracted relationship to eachother around said rod, outwardly projecting punches carried by endportions of said punch bars, an expander carried by said rod outwardlyof the punch carrying ends of said punch bars, the adjacent ends of saidpunch bars being provided with angularly disposed end portions and saidexpander having angularly disposed portions for engaging said punch barend portions for efiecting expanding movement of said punch barsrelative to each other and relative to said rod as an incident toendwise movement of said rod independently of said carrier, and meansfor efiecting such independent movement of said rod in predeterminedtimed relationship to the reciprocating movement of said carrier.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein there is associated with saidpunch bars an external punch bar which is mounted on said carrier forreciprocating movement therewith and for rocking movement transverselyof the length of said rod, and wherein said rod and external punch barare provided with interengaging means for efiecting predeterminedrocking movement of said external punch bar at the same time that theother punch bars are expanded.

3. Apparatus of the class described, comprising means for holding a tubein predetermined position, a carrier mounted for sliding movement in thedirection of the length of said tube, a rod mounted on said carrier forunitary movement therewith and also so as to be longitudinally movableindependently of said carrier, said canrier being provided with asupport in which said rod is slidably mounted for said independent1ongitudinal movement, a plurality of punch bars disposed around saidrod and having punches extending outwardly from the outer surfaces ofend portions thereof, said support and said punch bars havinginterengaging fulcrum means about which said lpunch bars are rockable,an elastic sleeve surrounding said punch bars adjacent said fulcrummeans and recessed into both said support and said punch bars to therebyinterconnect the same for said unitary movement, resilient meansnormally maintaining said punch bars in contracted condition around saidrod, an expander carried by said rod and engageable with portions ofsaid punch bars to effect movement of the same outwardly from said rod,means for moving said carrier, rod and punch bars as a unit from aninoperative position into operative position relative to a. tube held insaid predetermined position and in which operative position the punchcarrying portions of said bars are disposed within said tube, and meansfor actuating said rod and expander thereon independently of saidcarrier and punch bars to effect said outward movement of the punch barswhen the latter are disposed within said tube as aforesaid.

4. Apparatus of the class described, comprising means for holding a tubein predetermined position, acarrier mounted for sliding movement in thedirection of the length of said tube, a rod mounted on said carrier forunitary movement therewith and also so as to be longitudinally movableindependently of said carrier, said carrier having a sleeve mountedthereon in which said rod is slidably mounted for said independentlongitudinal movement, a plurality of punch bars disposed around saidrod in radial relation thereto and having punches extending outwardlyfrom the outer surfaces of end portions thereof, said sleeve being.provided on one end with a series of radially extending grooves andsaid punch bars being provided with end portions fitted in said radiallyextending grooves to thereby position the punch bars around the rod asaforesaid, means interconnecting said punch bars and carrier forsimultaneous movement in the direction of movement of the carrier whilealso permitting said punch bars to be moved laterally, resilient meansnormally maintaining said punch bars in, contreated condition aroundsaid rod, an expander carried by said rod and engageable with portionsof said punch bars to effect movement of the same outwardly from saidrod, means for moving said carrier, rod and punch bars as a unit from aninoperative position into operative position relative to a tube held insaid predetermined position and in which operative position the punchcarrying portions of said bars are disposed within said tube, and meansfor actuating said rod and expander thereon independently of saidcarrier and punch bars to effect said outward movement of the punch barswhen the latter are disposed within said tube as aforesaid.

5. Apparatus oi the class described, comprising means for holding a tubein predetermined position, a carrier slidable in the direction of thelength of said tube, a punch bar carried by said carrier so as to bethereby movable into telescoped relation to said tube, actuating meansfor effecting lateral movement of said punch bar when the latter is insaid telescoped relation to the tube to thereby cause said punch bar toenter said tube so as to press a portion thereof into a projectionextending laterally from the wall of said tube, said actuating means andthe means for effecting movement of said carrier being such as to alsofree the punch bar from the tube and withdraw the same from saidtelescopic relation thereto so as to free the tube for discharge fromthe apparatus, and a continuously moving crank and a connecting rodconnecting said crank to said carrier to effect reciprocation of thelatter as an incident to rotation of said crank, said actuating meansfor effecting lateral movement of said punch bar being timed to actuatesaid punch bar when said crank is moving mainly transversely of thedirection of reciprocation imparted to said carrier.

HOWARD A. COLLINS. HOWARD M. RUTH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 678,856 Bellah July 23, 19011,588,200 Skelton June 8, 1926 1,600,632 Hartsoe Sept. 21, 19262,122,044 Powell a June 28, 1938 2,453,681 Temple Nov. 9, 1948

